The Crimean Tatars once ruled the entire region. The Turkic ethnic group first came to the peninsula in the 15^th century. In 1944, they were deported by Stalin to central Asia. Today there are about 250,000 Crimean Tatars in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in the south of Ukraine. The majority of the population there is of Russian descent. Now many Crimean Tatars fear they may once again become subject to persecution and expulsion.